MOWWA institute launch excites German government
The Consul General Federal Republic of Germany, Weert Boerner, has said his country is excited about the launch of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) Institute in Benin City, the Edo state capital.
Boerner described the institute’s building as modern, with a feature of unique African architecture and design, as well as cutting-edge technology.
The Consul General disclosed this during the MOWAA preview event of its MOWAA Institute in Benin City.
The two-day event was aimed at sparking critical conversations about the future of museum practice in West Africa. Boerner noted: “I am pleased to say that we are proud to be a part of this project, through financial support from the German Foreign Office for the construction and operation of this ‘museum in the making’ over the last two years.”
Formed in 2020 as an independent, non-profit organisation, MOWWA said it was dedicated to education, learning and skills development aimed at the preservation of heritage and the celebration of West African arts and culture.
MOWAA Institutes Director, Ore Disu, said the museum was poised on creating something that gives Black and African people a sense of their place in the world and platforms to articulate what happens next.
Disu added: “Without robust records and monuments, it can be difficult to visualise what Africa societies built, invented and achieved. No Akan, Yoruba or Edo person should ever doubt the sophistication of their ancestors.”
